This Friday night, I would ask that you make a real effort to come to our Shabbat services. Even more than usual, I strongly suspect that they will move you, inspire you, and connect you. Why? Because this one Shabbat each year, I find myself especially effected in a way that I would label ‘profound.’ Why? Because our services this Friday night will be led by our graduating Confirmation class of 10th graders. Stop. Please take a moment to pause on these last words. You might think I’m asking you to come to services to support our 10th graders who have been studying together for these past two years every Sunday with me in my office, who have volunteered together in our community feeding the hungry, who have committed to leading our Jewish Community, and who have traveled together to our nation’s capital to lobby our elected politicians on matters that are priorities for the Jews of Georgia. Sure. Yes please. Come support them. But I’m asking you to come to Temple Emanu-El this Shabbat … [Read more...]
The Power and Shock of Studying Violence Toward Women in Text
We’ve studied the rape of Dinah in Exodus 34. We’ve studied the rape of Tamar in 2 Sam 13. We’ve studied the rape of an unnamed woman in Judges 19. These were the first three sessions of our April life-long learning series (there’s still one more session, join us Tuesday at 12:00 or 7:30). When our core text treats women as objects of man’s wrath, and these texts are a part of one of the most read book in the world, this has significant implications for our culture. The images, the responses, the voicelessness, all of this is internalized by the reader. As readers in modernity, we must accept that these images exist, AND we must push back on images that reinforce violence against women. We could just ignore them, but they’d still be there. We can certainly contextualize them in history as a recognition of life in Ancient Near Eastern culture, and yet these horrific acts still occur today. We grapple with the difficult imagery, we acknowledge it, and we give voices back … [Read more...]
MEMORIAL DAY SALE! JULY 4TH SPECIAL FINANCING!
These are exactly the headlines that we do not see in Israel for the two holiest days of the secular year. Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, and Yom HaAtzmeut, Israel’s Independence Day, are not shopping holidays. In a country in which nearly all its citizens know the feeling of losing a loved one to terror or defense of the State, Israelis observe their Memorial Day with reverence and honor for the dead. In a young democracy, many of Israel’s inhabitants can still recall a time when Israel was a dream, only to wake up one morning to experience the dream fulfilled. These sacred civil holidays are treated as days when we break from the mundane and honor the unique place in time in which we exist—a time in which Jews are able to call their ancient land home once more. As Jews, we know all too well what it means to mix sorrow with joy. We experience it at the Pesach seder, when we celebrate Purim, and when we gather for Yom Kippur. In Israel, the whiplash change from memorial to … [Read more...]
Friday With Family
I can recall many beautiful moments from the prayer experiences of my early years. As a child, my family and I would head to synagogue, about once a month, and join with the congregation in prayer and song. These sacred memories are still dear to my heart today. I recall the rabbi inviting my friends and me to open the ark for Aleinu L’Shabeiach: we would race forward to try to be the first one to grab a door and be helpful! I recall my parents sitting on my left and right, pointing to the words in the prayer book: as an eager reader, I practiced sounding out words and trying to keep up with the pace of the congregation. I recall the community clapping in unison during everyone’s favorite Mi Chamocha (and the rabbi never getting the rhythm quite right). Finally, I recall feeling a great sense of joy, purpose, and pride: Joy in singing with my family and friends; purpose in knowing that my voice added to the sound of the community; pride in my Jewish identity and feeling … [Read more...]
Annual Meeting
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